Wellhead Settling System for Sand Separation and Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sand particles from well fluids cause abrasion, blockages, and safety hazards in wellheads and processing facilities, leading to costly repairs and shutdowns, with existing separation methods posing health risks due to manned-entry requirements.
Innovation Solution
A settling system with containers positioned between wellhead and flowline, featuring a larger cross-sectional area than the inlet conduit to reduce fluid velocity, allowing sand particles to settle, and access ports for mechanical removal without human entry, ensuring unidirectional fluid flow and preventing sand entry into the flowline.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separators are used to remove sand and solid particles from fluids, then sand removal effectiveness is improved, but health and safety hazards increase due to required manned-entry for cleaning accumulated sand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual sand removal (manned-entry) with a pneumatic system using pressurized gas or vacuum to remove accumulated sand through access ports. This substitution eliminates the need for human entry into the separator while maintaining effective sand removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces access ports as intermediary elements that allow sand removal equipment to interact with the separator interior without requiring human entry. These ports serve as mediators between the sand accumulation problem and the pneumatic removal solution, enabling safe and effective sand evacuation.
2Productivity
If flowline spans lengthy distances from wellhead to processing facility, then fluid transport capability is improved, but abrasive damage and blockages increase due to sand entrained in fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by removing sand from fluids at the wellhead before the fluids enter the lengthy flowline. The separator intercepts and removes sand particles upstream, preventing them from traveling through the flowline and causing abrasive damage or blockages downstream, thus protecting the integrity of the flowline system.
3Productivity
If sand-laden fluids flow through wellhead and flowline to processing facility, then fluid production is maintained, but component damage and shutdowns occur due to sand abrasion and blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes sand from fluids at the wellhead before they enter the flowline and processing facility, preventing abrasive damage to components while maintaining fluid production. This preliminary sand removal action protects downstream equipment from damage and blockages that would otherwise cause shutdowns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts sand particles from the fluid stream at the wellhead using a separator. By taking out the harmful sand particles before the fluids enter the flowline and processing facility, the system maintains fluid production while protecting components from abrasive damage and blockages.
4Ease of operation
If access ports are made large enough for manual sand removal, then sand removal ease is improved, but human entry safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual sand removal operations with pneumatic sand removal systems that connect to the access ports. This substitution allows for effective sand removal through the access ports without requiring human entry into the separator, thereby eliminating safety risks while maintaining operational ease.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively separates and accumulates sand, reducing blockages and abrasion, enhancing safety by eliminating manned-entry risks and minimizing operational costs through mechanical sand removal, while maintaining unobstructed fluid flow.
Implementation Method 1
reducing the velocity of the fluid when it enters the container, thereby allowing solid particles in the fluid to settle into the lower portion of the container
Implementation Method 2
allowing solid particles in the fluid to settle into the lower portion of the container and preventing a portion of the solid particles from entering the flowline
Data Source
AI summary
A settling system may be used to separate and/or remove solid particles, such as sand, from fluids produced by wells. The container of the settling system may be cleaned without need for manned-entry.